The American Basketball League, often abbreviated to the ABL of 1996 was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was creating the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The ABL began league competition in the Fall of 1996, while the WNBA launched its first game in June 1997. Both organizations came into existence during a surge in popularity for women's basketball in the United States that followed the perfect 35–0 national championship season for the Connecticut Huskies in 1995 and the undefeated, gold medal-winning performance of the United States Women's basketball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

The ABL lasted two full seasons: 1996–97 and 1997–98. The Atlanta Glory and Long Beach Stingrays folded prior to the start of the 1998–99 season, and were replaced by two expansion teams, the Chicago Condors and Nashville Noise. On December 22, 1998, with almost no warning, the ABL declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and suspended operations. Each team had played between 12 and 15 games of the 1998–99 season.

The ABL got off the ground before the WNBA, and at least early on its quality of play was higher than the rival league. This was partly due to the league's signing of a majority of players from the 1996 USA women's national team. Although the WNBA was bankrolled by the NBA, the ABL offered higher salaries. The two leagues did not compete directly; the ABL played during the winter while the WNBA played during the summer. However, this arrangement put the ABL in competition with the established men's NBA for an audience. Ultimately, the ABL found the WNBA's stronger financial resources—augmented by the NBA's marketing machine—to be too much to overcome.

The league operated as a single-entity structure, which was intended to control costs until it found its feet. However, it also meant that even the most basic decisions related to team operations had to go through the league office in Palo Alto, California. The ABL was also under-financed.Former Team Official Recounts the A.B.L.'s Dizzying Descent

Of all the ABL cities, Atlanta, Chicago, Portland and Seattle now have WNBA teams.

1996–98 clubs

Seasons

1996–97

+Eastern ConferenceColumbus Quest319.775Richmond Rage2119.525Atlanta Glory1822.450New England Blizzard1624.400

+Western ConferenceColorado Xplosion2515.625San Jose Lasers1822.450Seattle Reign1723.425Portland Power1426.350

The 1996–97 ABL All-Star Game was played on December 15, 1996, at the Hartford Civic Center. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 81–65, and the game's MVP was Tari Phillips.West beat East, according to Spokesman

1997–98

+Eastern ConferenceColumbus Quest 36 8 .818New England Blizzard 24 20 .545Atlanta Glory 15 29 .341Philadelphia Rage 13 31 .295

+Western ConferencePortland Power2717.614Long Beach Stingrays2618.591Colorado Xplosion2123.477San Jose Lasers2123.477Seattle Reign1529.341

The 1997–98 ABL All-Star Game was played on January 18, 1998, at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 102–73.

1998–99

+Eastern ConferenceColumbus Quest113.786Philadelphia Rage95.643Chicago Condors48.333Nashville Noise411.267New England Blizzard310.231

+Western ConferencePortland Power94.692San Jose Lasers96.600Seattle Reign87.533Colorado Xplosion58.387

The 1998–99 ABL All-Star Game was scheduled to be played on January 24, 1999, in San Jose, California, but was canceled when the league ceased operations in December 1998.

Notable players

Jennifer Azzi Debbie Black Cindy Brown Edna Campbell Sylvia Crawley Teresa Edwards Tonya Edwards Shalonda Enis Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the Olympic-champion long jumper and heptathlete Molly Goodenbour Yolanda Griffith Sonja Henning Kedra Holland-Corn Shannon Johnson Carolyn Jones-Young Venus Lacy Andrea Lloyd-Curry Stacey Lovelace Michelle M. Marciniak Nikki McCray Carla McGhee Chasity Melvin Delisha Milton Taj McWilliams-Franklin Kate Paye, now head coach at Stanford University Tari Phillips Elaine Powell Katrina Price Jennifer Rizzotti, now the President of the Connecticut Sun Crystal Robinson Saudia Roundtree Sheri Sam Katie Smith, now an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx Charlotte Smith, now the head coach at Elon University Dawn Staley, now the head coach at the University of South Carolina Katy Steding Kate Starbird Sonja Tate Val Whiting Natalie Williams, now the general manager of the Las Vegas Aces Kara Wolters

See also National Women's Basketball League Women's American Basketball Association Women's National Basketball Association Women's Professional Basketball League American Basketball League (1996–1998) on television

References

External links John Sage's ABL webpage capture, containing old interviews, articles, and final statistics ABL on APBR.org website All-Star cards Professional basketball research